


Veiled Shepherd

by AboutRainbow



Category: Terraria
Genre: Original Character(s), Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:53:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28472682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AboutRainbow/pseuds/AboutRainbow
Summary: A Terrarian and her guide begin their journey through the world of Terraria, only to realize rather quickly that they are not the first living beings of sentience to inhabit this world, and very quickly run into two Terrarians in particular. Shepherd, a jumbled and curious mage, and a being that refers to themselves as both Tick, and "The guardian of the forest". These two figures momentarily take the newcomers by the hand and give them a taste of this new, strange world, and how fellow Terrarians  have affected it.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. Chapter 1

I looked up at the sun, using my hand to shelter my eyes from the rays of light.

John, the guide, did the same before speaking for the first time in awhile.

“It’s going to get dark soon. We won’t last out here through the night.”

I had only met him this morning, yet all he had done was lecture me about this world and its contents...but as I had started to wander, he had stopped talking as much. Maybe he thought I had a plan in mind, and was only occasionally offering advice now. However, as I impulsively shrugged, his peppy, encouraging tone of voice turned into something more..fear driven, sticking out like a sore thumb as he spoke.

”Really, shelter should be a main priority.”

I held up my sword slightly, expecting that to be an appropriate response, but instead all he did was give me a nervous smile. An innocent one, but one that probably served more as a mask then as a genuine emotion.

I studied his gaze with my own, waiting for a the fear to dwindle..it did not.

”.....You really think I need shelter, huh?”

He nodded, looking at the sky again as the clouds briefly covered the sun.

I sighed.

“Alright. What do you suggest?”

His eyes showed a flash of confusion, as if he didn’t expect the question, before glancing around the landscape.

”Well...” He stuck his hand in his pocket, coming out with a small book and thumbing through it’s contents. There was a small pause in his sentence as he gathered his thoughts.

“Would you rather make a home, or find one?”

”....There’s other homes here?”

“Not exactly..” He closed the book before pointing in the distance. “See that tree over there? It’s taller then the rest?”

I squinted, scanning the forest and eventually pinpointed it before nodding.

”Well, there’s a good chance that’s a living tree. Sometimes they have a room built into the tree, and we can stay there for the night.”

“And...said room is vacant?”

”Yes. It would be a good temporary home until morning, when we can plan exactly what to do next.”

That seemed..awfully convenient, but I hadn’t known this guy long enough to know if anything he said actually would cause harm. Plus, I feel like he doesn’t just have my safety in mind, so why would he intentionally lead the both of us to some unknown demise?

I held out the silence for a little longer, just to see if he had anything else to say. He just looked at me expectantly, waiting for an answer.

”...Sure.”

He smiled. “Off we go, then. It’s not a long way!”

We started to walk, silence once again enveloped the land, absent from our voices. The trees were starting to become more frequent, their branches almost pressing together for the woodland creatures to use as bridges. A very pleasant scene, even the hostile slimes didn’t do much to damper the vibe the surroundings were giving off- for the both of us.

Eventually the silence became more foreboding with time, And I couldn’t help but start asking questions.

”What was the weird look about?”

John gave me the same look, much more prominent this time. Confusion, maybe?

I waited for his response, and then realized that he didn’t really have one.

“..When I asked for your suggestion. That look you gave me? That??”

His eyes widened as he realized what I was talking about, and then he started to laugh.

It wasn’t a malicious laugh. Far from it...but I couldn’t help but feel the blood rush to my cheeks in response, silently cursing myself for not clarifying.

”I’m learning so much about you already.” He grinned, his eyes veering to the sky again to keep track of the time, “You’re really observant. I like that.”

I opened my mouth to respond, only to not know what to say. Before I could draw attention to the question I had asked, or even shyly say thank you, he had already begun speaking again.

”Honestly? I thought you knew what you were doing.”

”...Come again?”

“Well- there’s some terrarians that I meet who have no idea what they’re doing, as expected, and then there’s ones that.. do. I’m not sure how they can just have a plan right off the bat..they just...know. I thought you were one of them. But-” He laughed a little to himself, “Guess you’re not one of them, huh?”

”I..I don’t think so?”

He smiled at me, a genuine smile that was meant to express reassurance, possibly a desire for trust between us. It’d make sense if trust was his goal..Since I didn’t see anyone else around here.

I smiled back, his expression showing joy at the positive response.

“..You have a nice smile, you know that?” He said, turning away to focus on the path. “I hope you can smile more oft-“

I blinked, realizing that he had not only stopped taking the lead, but had paused mid sentence as well.

“....What?”

But he wasn’t paying attention. He was staring off the path, into the forest which had gotten considerably more dense since I last looked at it. I stopped, took a few steps back, and stood next to him.

There were..slimes?

Maybe about twelve, ranging from the expected neon blues and greens with a single pink, to a few which were..different. One was more of a Lilac shade, and one was more of an emerald green. Even weirder, is that they weren’t instantly aggressive. Just..there.

I glanced over at John, who noticed the weirdly colored slimes the same time I had.

He looked..ghastly.

“Are..you okay?” I muttered, shifting my gaze between him and the bundle of slimes who were watching us with some sort of curiosity.

No response.

”...John?"

I noticed he was slowly reaching for his pocketbook, his fingers shaky and pale. As he slowly pulled it out and opened it, the slimes seemed to scoot back into the shadows of the forest. Every movement they made obscured them from sight that much more.

After almost tearing the book’s pages with how fast he was flipping through them, he finally closed the book with a defeated expression.

“I....” John murmured, his voice almost shrewd, “I don’t know why these slimes are acting like this. I’m sorry.”

Hearing him say that made my stomach sink like a rock. The tone in his voice just sounded so exhausted, like all his aspirations were crushed then and there. As he stood, almost like a ghost, I didn’t know what else to do but to stand next to him.

We stood in silence for a few minutes. The warm sun began to approach the hills, and the lighting of the forest started to dim.

“Hey, John..Still want to find that living tree?”

He jolted, like he just snapped out of a trance, and looked at the sky. His pupils dilated, and he grabbed my shoulder almost aggressively.

“We’ve gotta-“

”Go? Yeah, I assumed. Follow the trail?”

“Mhm.” He nodded hastily before taking off down the path that led deeper into these woods.

I looked at the slimes one last time before taking off, only to notice that they, too, were going in the direction we were.

”No time to think about that.” I muttered.

With that last thought, I was already running.

My heart beat through my ears like a drum, it’s song guiding my every step as we ran through the thick forests. As we got deeper and deeper, the forest got more and more strange. The familiar thin trunks were replaced with much bigger, healthier looking trees that stood strong and proud. The air was filled with the scents of flowers and leaves, with no definitive source to where the scent was coming from. There was an abnormal amount of slimes, too, their presence in the greenery beyond the path sticking out like small gems on a crown. Some lingered at the sight of us, while others seemed to be going in our general direction..but none of them seemed hostile.

I tried to focus on the details as much as I could, my stamina wearing down with every step my body took. It was only a matter of time before we had to stop..

It wasn’t long after I had that thought that my wish was granted.

”H-hey, slow down.” John said loudly. “We’re here..I think..”

My body fought the urge to just collapse right then and there, and instead drink in the sight before me.

“Is this...a garden..?” I managed to get out, my body heaving heavily as it was trying to absorb all the oxygen it could get.

That was the best way I could describe it.

There was, in fact, an extra large tree, but it seemed to be more like a house then anything. It’s branches were decorated with a few sewn banners of a million colors, swaying in the breeze gently. There was a nicely tended garden on either side of the home just beyond the roots, starting from the end of the tree’s hearty roots, that stretched all the way to where we stood- the colors of the rainbow from the crops almost as bright as the slimes we saw moments ago. The occasional slime dappled the clearing, but they avoided the garden and path as if they were sacred.

It was.. a strange thought, but you could say the place had the essence of mana woven within every thread of life shown here. It was a powerful scene of tranquility..and safety.

“This place...”

“...is gorgeous..” John finished for me, looking even more starstruck by the scene then I did, “I never thought..I’d see anything this refined in my lifetime.”

I opened my mouth to agree, before something occurred to me.

“But I thought.. you knew what this place was?”

John gave me a wary look. “Yeah..about that-“

He gave me a nervous smile as he spoke. Like a child who didn’t want to be scolded.

”I-I thought the tree was tall, but not as tall as a living tree, but I just assumed that it couldn’t be anything els-”

”So..does that mean it’s not vacant?”

John gave me that strange look again before his shoulders tensed, probably as a response to an internal thought, and shakily sighed.

”Yeah. This might not end in a desirable way.”

”Well,” I pulled out my copper shortsword, which lit up thanks to the little sunlight left in the sky, and showed it to him in a form of reassurance.

“We can fight them then, if it comes to that.”

John clasped his hand around the bow that was over his shoulder, rubbing his finger along the wood surface. His eyes seemed dim, almost extinguished, compared to the bright cheery look they had in them before. He looked weak and exhausted, and I wasn’t much different.

I dug my heel into the fresh earth of the path, debating what to do next.

We could probably camp out in the trees, as they were exceptionally studious and had leaves that concealed us like a cloak. Or we could leave the forest, and most likely meet whatever John was worried about in the first place, or we could take our chances right where we stood, and knock on that door.

But before I could bring up the options, John started to speak.

”Hey?”

The tone of his voice was quiet, nervous.

“Doesn’t it feel like we’re..being watched?”

I instinctively started to look around, even the idea of someone watching us in this situation making an uneasy feeling start to brew in my gut- yet the only thing I could see was the soft blanket of fireflies slowly rising around us.

”But there isn’t anyone her-“

I stopped, my body freezing as my eyes found something of note.

A green visor, illuminating the leaves like a candle in a dark room, yet the rest of whatever remained was completely obscure from our sight.

John noticed, too, and stepped back stiffly, sporting a similar look from when he saw the strange slimes for the first time.

He wasn’t ready to fight. He was ready to run.

Instead of attacking us, which is what John assumed, the being reached its hand out of the shadows so we could see it, and it.. waved at us?

I slowly raised my hand up and nervously waved back, which seemed to be all that they needed. It pointed at the home, and made a gesture with their hand before pointing again.

”It’s.. trying to communicate,” John muttered, watching with an intense gaze.

As it repeated the two signals again and again, it clicked.

“You.. you want us to knock? There?” I inquired, pointing at the home.

It stopped its signals instantly, and gave us an encouraging thumbs up in response.

“Guess that was it?” I smiled nervously at John, who still hadn’t taken his eyes off the unknown entity. He clearly wasn’t going to respond.

I flexed my sweaty hands on my sword, letting one hand flake to the side as I approached the red wood door that was decorated with two lanterns on either side.

Every step towards that door felt like ages. The night was now upon us, the soft pink and oranges hues of sunset replaced with the deep blues and purples of the night. The moon, a scythe in the sky, watched with great interest as I finally got right in front of the big wooden door. I debated stepping back, and bringing up the idea of sleeping in the trees again. But It smelled.. great. Tons of sweet smells of meat, greens, and bread wafted through the door’s cracks. This was reassuring, if only a little bit. What monster would cook something, anyways?

I took a deep breath, and quietly gave a few small knocks on the door.

Silence.

It held for a few seconds, before the sound of rustling could clearly be heard from within the structure. Quick footsteps seemed to be traversing without any sense of direction, their sound fading as soon as it can come, before eventually, it stopped at the door.

The small creak of the door filled the quiet night with its shuddering sound, starting slow before the entire door was practically thrown open. It hit the wall with a slam, which seemed to scare the house owner more then me. We both stepped back simultaneously and..stared at each other.

They looked like a mage from a storybook, with ruffled sleeves and a giant wizard hat with a veil that obscured their face. The had a massive wooden cane, a vine hugging its structure. The thing that struck me most, though, was how the cane was dotted with teal slime. Not a large amount, but enough for it to seem decorated like small jewels on a ring.

“Hi...” The voice pierced through my thought process like someone popping a balloon.

”..Need thing?”

Their voice was clearly more adult masculine sounding, yet childlike. Like he was just learning how to speak.

”....Hi?” He repeated, slower this time. “Need. Thing?”

”Oh!” I jolted. “I’m sorry I..” I looked back behind me, where John was still looking at the forest where the green visor was, and sighed.

“I’m going to get straight to the point here. Can me and my friend stay for the night? We....got lost, and it’s too late to go anywhere now-“

“Yes.” The being nodded, turning around before gesturing with his hand to come inside.

”You and friend..Welcome here.”

I looked back at John as he slowly approached, his bow being prepared to draw at a moment's notice.

He looked.. absolutely terrified.

”The slimes.” He whispered loudly at me as he got closer, “They-they’re closing in. Around the clearing.”

I looked around the darkened forest rapidly, my vision limited to just a small part of the gardens, trying to see what he was talking about..but I couldn’t see anything. I could, however, hear noises. Faint noises of slimes moving across the tall grass and through bushes...eerily in tune with one another.

I drew in a shaky breath, muttering as I spoke. “There’s no way that’s just a few slimes. We wouldn’t be able to hear it if it was.”

John nodded stiffly, his hand just a moment away from pulling an arrow from it’s quiver.

Just when fear was about to take over for the both of us, a voice perked up from within the house. The mage must’ve slipped away when we weren’t looking, being a room apart from us now.

“Door close. Please.”

Both me and John flinched violently, our bodies frozen with self-inflicted fear.

”....Door close?” He repeated, more concerned this time. “Okay?”

“...O-Okay.” John slowly stepped into the house at his command, grabbed the doorknob, and slowly pushed the door shut.

There was no way we were leaving now...without causing some sort of commotion with the mage, at least.

We slowly stepped away from the door, allowing our hearts to slow.

“It’s too late for this..” John exhaled, his body slumped like gravity itself was against him.

I quietly laughed, my brain desperately trying to find a reason to feel safe in this place. All I wanted was sleep, and food. But both of those things were a privilege in this world, I knew that now. It was a shame I had to learn it in such a way, though..

I walked around the house, but I forgot what was in one room as soon as I moved to the next. It was like I was on autopilot. I could go on forever it seemed, my body no longer had any limits in my mind.

If only I had asked if we could make a home instead of finding one…

When I rounded back to the entry way, I barely registered that John hadn’t moved at all since he closed that door. He was simply looking at his pocketbook, taking an abnormally long amount of time just to flip a single page. He was silent, his eyes glassy and faded. He, too, was loosing the ability to think coherent thoughts.

If the mage sought to end our existence tonight, there was nothing either of us could do to stop him. There was no more adrenaline left in our veins. All we could do is stand here, and take death’s hand-

At that moment, almost like a taunt, a large, earth shattering bang rapped at the door.

Both me and John jumped and instantly pulled out our weapons, the energy we didn’t know we had brimming in our posture.

Again, louder this time, it banged, and this time we could tell it was from the front door.

Something was trying to get in.

Just when I was about to flee into the deeper depths of the home, the mage came in and quickly opened the door as a..small pink slime flew through the doorway. It slammed into the opposite wall, a loud *SPLAT* coming from the impact before the slime fell to the floor. It was still, just for a second, before slowly rolling over and facing upright. I held up my sword, debating if poking the creature was a viable option, before the mage walked up and picked up the small creature and petting it.

“Ramming door is bad. And scary.”

The slime jumped a few times in his hand, clearly over the moon to see this mage again... and he was just as delighted as the creature, cooeing at it for a little bit before looking up at our petrified faces.

He pointed to the pink slime before speaking.

”This is Ink. Ink friend.”

John spoke right then, his mind no longer having the capacity to have second thoughts.

“This makes- absolutely no damn sense.”

I.. had never heard that tone before from him. Granted, I hadn’t known him for long, but it seemed almost alien to hear such a harsh, sudden sentence.

”Why?” The mage inquired.

He clenched his bow, and everything that had been bothering him in the past few hours erupted like a volcano. “Slimes are hostile. H o s t i l e.” He spelled out the word with a lace of venom, “Not just that! They only come in 4 different colors in this biome. Green, blue, purple, and pink. Why is there other shades?! Where did they come from? Why-“

His voice suddenly went from angry to broken, the last words nearly incomprehensible from his quivering.

“Why wasn’t I....taught about this?”

He dipped his head, defeated in every sense of the word.

The mage paused, looking at the small slime in his hand, slightly wiggling his fingers as if he was studying them, too. He looked at John’s face again, and, as if guilty, dipped his head.

“We talk..when sun comes.” He walked over to me, and pointed to a nearby staircase, “Up. You sleep where many beds are. Food in morning.”

He held the slime up, and lightly dropped it onto my shoulder. “I talk to forest guard now. Ink will help if need.”

Without even giving us a chance to respond fully, he was already walking off.

”Hey-“ I blurted, almost without thinking. He turned around.

“Yes?”

”...What’s your name?”

It was a completely irrelevant, almost pointless question, but something in my subconscious was begging me to ask. He, however, seemed pleased at the question.

”I am Shepherd.” He paused. “...You?”

”Shepherd..” I muttered, trying my best to register the name.

He cocked his head, confused, and I quickly focused on the conversation again.

”I’m..Isabella. And that’s John, my guide.” I pointed to him, barely even registering that I hadn’t spoken my name before, yet had just grabbed it from mid-air when prompted.

Shepherd nodded, before turning around again.

“Sleep, Isaballa. John. You seem tired. Goodnight.”

He had pronounced my name wrong, but all I could do was smile and mutter a thank you before looking at John, who was still staring at the floor.

“Come on, let’s get some sleep.”

He nodded, almost robotically, before we both began to head towards the staircase.

It had been a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

The first thing I heard was birds.

They were distant and slurred at first, their tune barely even sounding musical before I noticed it. Once I did notice it, though, I couldn’t stop focusing on it. The more I focused, the more comprehensible it became..

And then, I remembered where I was.

I opened my eyes, my mind slowly stirring awake, before almost instantly kicking in adrenaline as I realized my surroundings. My eyes darted around anxiously, desperately looking around for items to tick the boxes in my mental checklist.

The room was clearly a guest bedroom. It housed 4 beds, the only ones not neatly put together were me and John’s. A painting of some sort was above every bed, along with a small table at their side. In the very back of the room was a large cabinet, thrown open to reveal tons of spare sheets and simple clothing.

I glanced over at John and smiled to see his content sleeping face peaking slightly from the pillow his head was buried in. He seemed at peace, compared to that absolute mess he was yesterday, and I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of it. At the foot of his bed was his bow and quiver, waiting patiently to be picked up- as my sword was on mine.

I grabbed the hilt of the weapon, inspecting it in a glance before looking at the doorway, which was slightly cracked- almost as if it was beckoning to be opened the rest of the way. 

I looked at John again, debating all the different routes I could take, and where they led. I could leave John here and explore, I could wake him up, or I could wait for him to wake up naturally. All of them had a surplus of pros and cons associated with them, but..

If nothing else, a peek was justified.

I sighed in defeat of my own curiosity, grabbing the doorknob and slowly opening the door before inching my head beyond its frame. 

What lay before me was a hallway, with more doorways to the left, and stairs to the right that led back down to the lower floor.

I studied the scene for a extra second, then turned back to look at John.

“....If they wanted you dead, they would’ve killed you already. John will be fine,” I muttered to myself, feeling the sword once again in my hand.

That mental reassurance was all I needed. I slowly slid out and tiptoed to the stairs, trying to be as quiet as possible as I walked down.

Everything about the room below was homely and welcoming. To the right of the stairs was a small library, the book shelf that curved along the wall nearly bursting with books, complemented with nice cushioned chairs to sit on. To the right was a doorway to another room..and in the middle was the front door. Every empty space was filled with something- from a shelf full of more books or decorative knicknacks, to a huge variety of framed pieces of artwork. In each doorway, or, in the front door’s case, just far enough to not get hit by the inward opening door, was a small bundle of wind chimes. The smells of different types of wood wafted through the place, leading me to believe that most of the stuff in here was hand carved, even the walls.

“It must’ve taken ages to hallow out this tree…”

I drew in a breath before slinking down the steps, looking absentmindedly at whatever caught my eye..And that’s when I saw it.

“Are those..wings..?” My thoughts rolled out from my mouth in a hushed whisper of wonder.

They were propped against a wall next to the front door, just under a row of hooks made for hanging up coats. Even when folded into a compact mound, they were absolutely massive-their very presence drawing attention to their form. They fit in with this location, but at the same time, didn’t. Like the wings themselves knew how strong they were compared to everything else in the vicinity. 

“Did they belong to..that mage?” I whispered in awe, the figure suddenly seeming especially cloaked in mystery when combined with the art form that was these wings. I didn’t remember them from yesterday....but I didn’t remember much in the first place, so it’s not like that notion is much to go by. Shepherd seemed strong enough to have them, though, based on my hazy memory of him.

I slowly walked over and ran my hand along the wings, feeling the grooves of the tree it was made of beneath my fingers. The actual wing part seemed to be a massive amount of leaves, with the outer layer being of pine, but varying in type as I attempted to dig my finger through the tightly woven bundle. I found myself wishing I was more knowledgeable in plants, simply so I could recognize the other leaves in this creation....As neither the appearance, nor the scent of the flora gave many hints. It smelled of pine, of course, but..so many other scents, too. Some smelled old, others smelled new, others didn’t smell like plants at all, all brewing together in this collaboration of weaving and magic. I couldn’t pinpoint why, but their very existence screamed adventure. It was almost exhausting being next to something so powerful, and it was just.. laying here like it was any old coat or hat.

The desire to grab them and attempt to put them on itched in the back of my mind, to the point where my hands had fastened in a way that I could lift them into the air.

The idea of leaving was a thought. A not entirely foolish one, either, but certainly an immoral one. Nevertheless, my mind couldn’t help but drift to the thought of survival above all… and how much easier life would be if these items were what I perceived-

“Hey! You’re...Isaballa? right?”

Whatever plan I was creating in my head shattered in that instant, like a glass bowl hitting a hard surface. I could almost hear the noise of breaking opportunities in my head before I forced my hands off the wings, whirling around to face the new voice with as much confidence as I could muster up.

“H-“

Everything seemed.. slower, and my confidence that had led me down here suddenly seemed to vanish. 

It was like all of my senses were commanded to focus on this...individual..the moment I was aware of their presence. Their appearance was like nothing I had ever seen, or would ever see again. Whatever powerful force was emitting from those wings was also emitting from this being, but unlike the wings, it was clearly the source of the energy.

They had an elegance to their tall and limber stature, one foot placed in front of another in a sort of ballet fashion. One arm was linked with a big book, while the other was placed promptly on the hip. They wore typical mage robes, but cut down significantly, and a green shawl with a high collar that draped over their shoulders like a welcoming spring after a cold winter. Their helmet was the most prominent of their features, though, two deer antler looking branches jutting out from either side of the vaguely knight helmet structure. It was clearly made to conceal their face, the only thing allowing them to see was their green visor that seemed to glow softly from just beyond the cloak’s collar.

“Are...you alright? Do you want to sit down?”

Their voice was soft, yet powerful. A melody of strength embedded with mellow kindness that soothed the soul like a lullaby.

I shook myself slightly, trying to focus on the conversation at hand, but they were already guiding me to the other doorway before I could even apologize. 

“Shepherd was picking ingredients for breakfast when I got back, he shouldn’t be much longer.” They spoke, slightly tilting their head to avoid their antlers hitting the doorway, but not enough to miss the small wind chimes. “While we wait, I’ll answer any questions you might have.”

Questions. I knew I had many, but my mind refused to conjure up a way to present any of them. I barely even noticed as they slid me into a chair, plucked my sword from my white knuckles, and sat across from me. They set my sword on the wall, making sure to see that it was in my field of vision before facing me. Their posture expressed curiosity and worry as they patiently waited for me to collect my thoughts and get my bearings of my surroundings.

The windchimes twinkled softly, and for a second, it was all I could focus on. It was..strangely pretty..

I glanced around quickly, as if to shake the song from my head, surveying my surroundings as much as I could without making eye contact with the figure..who seemed distracted by the wind chimes themselves, if only for a few moments.

We were sitting at a little table that sat four, pressed up against the corner of the wall to give ample walking room. Across the room was the main part of the kitchen- a countertop with stools pushed up to it, behind it being another countertop with cabinets underneath it along with shelves filled with either cooking supplies or well kept potted plants. To the far left was a fridge, just barely under the first shelve- and a well cleaned stove next to it. Above us was a beautiful chandelier with a single small vine coiling around it’s frame, and a trio of lanterns much like the ones outside. The whole place was well kept, and well used based on what little detail I could see where I was sitting. It was clear someone really took pride in that spot, and this whole house for that matter.

I finally looked back at them, and our eyes instantly seemed to be deadlocked. I could barely focus on them and their mannerisms, yet it seemed they couldn’t do anything but focus on me.

They paused and cocked their head, placing their book on the table before sitting their arms on them in a relaxed manner.

They held onto the silence for a little longer, giving me one last chance to speak..and then realized that I was not going to take it. 

“So...” They started, drumming the table with their hand, “I must ask, because otherwise it’s going to bother me for the rest of my life, but....Your name is..IsabAlla? With an A?” Their empathized the incorrect “A” with a noticeable tone, almost like they couldn’t believe it themselves.

My mind seemed to focus the moment it heard a question it could answer with a 100% certainty, and instantly leapt to correct them like a bird launching itself into the sky.

“N-no, it’s not. It’s Isabella-“ I paused only for a second to see their nod, “The one who answered the door mispronounced it before..”.” 

“Shepherd? I see! He’s not the best with names himself- he must’ve misheard you,” They jumped in, “Speaking of names.. are you aware of mine?”

“Wh-“ 

I stopped myself before I could even begin, realizing that my answer could greatly affect their opinion of me in an instant. I’m not sure why, but the idea of being hated by such a strong individual sent a chill down my spine so great it was nearly paralyzing. I could barely even look at this person, much less communicate with them...how could I possibly defend myself against them?

Just when my mind was about to shut down again, their voice piped up, without the slightest change in tone.

“You don’t? Wow, then you must be new, then!” 

They propped their head up on their hands, almost in a childlike manner. “If you knew of anyone around here, you probably would’ve at least been somewhat aware of my occasional presence.”

I felt my shoulders relax as I exhaled, a wave of relief showering over me.

My fearful reaction was just as apparent to them as it was to me, and.. they had no intent to abuse that. Based on their idea to play it off in such a casual manner, anyways.

It was almost like I could feel their hidden smile radiating under their helmet, glowing brighter then ever as their eyes met mine once more. 

“Well- I must introduce myself then, shouldn’t I?” They stood up as they spoke. “I am Tick, though some refer to me as ‘The Guardian of The Forest’,” They reached their hand out towards me. “It’s a pleasure meeting you formally, Isabella.” 

I stood up slowly, and took their hand in a firm grip before shaking it.

“The pleasure is m-mine.” 

I stuttered, still shaken over their intense aura, before slowly sitting down again.

“Now..” Tick glanced towards the doorway as they spoke, “Shepherd must be especially picky today. He must be trying something new?”

I half shrugged, not sure if they were talking to me or themselves, before allowing myself to slump in my chair a little bit. 

Tick glanced at me, then the big book they put on the table, then back at me..possibly analyzing the possibilities of what I would do with such an object. Fair enough, I suppose. I almost tried to steal their wings earlier.

Their shoulders straightened, and that positive aura of theirs blinded any other feelings once more. 

“I’ll go check on him. You can wait here, I won’t be long.”

They walked off, their feet barely making a sound on the wooden floor as they did so. I was barely able to track them when they disappeared from sight, and just when I assumed they would open the door, their voice perked up.

“Oh, hey Shepherd. I was just about to check on yo-“

“...What? Think Shepherd died?”

I was my first time hearing the other so clearly, and I was not expecting that. It was jumbled, parts being mispronounced, but also had an air of playfulness to it that I didn’t even know was possible.

“Not at all!” Tick said quickly, their tone a mixture of joking, yet worried tones, “I know you can defend yourself, that wasn’t the issue..”

Shepherd appeared in the doorway, basket in hand, looking back just to give the wind chimes a light tap as he observed Tick. 

“Tick should rest. Not worry about Shepherd....Now sit.” They gestured back at the table where I was before setting the basket down on the counter. 

Then he looked up at me, and froze.

Tick observed his reaction, glanced at me, then glanced at him again.

“Shepherd-“

“Wait,” He held a finger up, cocking their head as they seemingly stared into my soul, “Got this.” 

Tick shrugged before shuffling across the room and sliding back into their chair, propping their arm on the spell book once more before looking at Shepherd again.

“Well?” They prompted.

Shepherd glanced over at the basket of goods again for a long second before perking up, and with a sense of pride and accomplishment, blurted “Isaballa!”

He then instantly looked at Tick as they nodded.

“Good!” They clapped their hands together once as Shepherd beamed, “..Although..”

Shepherd’s aura dimmed, suddenly much more in tune with the conversation.

“You’re pronouncing it wrong. It’s IsaBELLA, like ‘bell’, Not IsaBALLA, like how you would say ‘ball’,” Tick made motions with their hands like they were trying to draw a diagram right in front of themselves as they explained this.

Shepherd straightened, then stared off as he pondered this fact. Tick put their hands back in their lap, patiently waiting for Shepherd to speak again. 

I stared at the ground, zoning out as I was registering what information this conversation was giving me.

I was expecting just a quick correction, but..they explained the actual punctuation and how to say it properly. What.. what does that imply, exactly? Is Shepherd..new like I am? If that’s the case, how is he so well established here? And even if he was new, why does he have problems with language, and I don’t? So many questions, not nearly enough material to create answers. 

I sighed internally at my thought process..I was beginning to understand why John was so stressed out last night.

“...Two things.” Shepherd said, suddenly starting the conversation right up where the two left it.

“What is it?”

“What’s.. a bell?”

I nearly laughed out loud. It was such a dumb, yet innocent question- and it caught me off guard. Tick, however, seemed unphased as they responded.

“I can’t compare it to any shape you know just yet..hmmm..” they glanced at me, like they expected me to give them the perfect way to explain it to them, before an idea noticeably sparked in their head. 

“You know the wind chimes around, like that one?” -The pointed at the nearly stagnant wind chimes in the doorway- “Well, a bell serves the same purpose as the wind-chimes. It’s mainly metal, and it makes a nice sound.” 

“Oooh.” Shepherd nodded approvingly at the visual aid, “Can Shepherd get one?”

“Yeah, at some point. Remind me next time I go on patrol. What was the other thing you wanted to as-“

Before they could even finish, Shepherd whirled towards me.

“Sorry for..mispronouncing!

They clasped their hands together and dipped their head as they spoke, as if they had committed some great offense.

I must’ve given him a bewildered look, because he only dipped his head further in shame in reaction to it.

“No-no it’s fine! I was just..surprised to be suddenly included.” I stuttered out in a hurry, putting my hands up and waving them instinctively. 

Shepherd glanced up, putting his hands in more of a prayer position, “You’re...not offended?”

“No! Why would I be? It’s an honest mistake.”

He thought about it, then gave a small polite nod.

”....Thank you, am glad. Didn’t want to offend friend.”

It was hard not to be swept away from the amount of pure kindness and innocence this mage was radiating. I could only nod and smile slightly at his joy. 

He clapped his hands together, suddenly moving on with that aura boosting him forward.

“Now..Isaba-Isabella! How you like eggs?”

“Uhh..However you want them to be?”

“Okay!!! Thank you!!” He chirped.

He glanced at Tick, and they gave a thumbs up. Shepherd nodded.

With that, he began preparing. 

It was almost like magic, seeing his process. He knew instinctively where the supplies were, not even having to look as he pulled him out and put them in their respective places. Yet he seemed terribly uncoordinated, taking strange steps and bending limbs odd ways to do what he needed to do. His robes, which were bulky, seemed to stop him from bending too much though. Perhaps that was intentional?

I glanced over at Tick, who was clearly trying their hardest not to flinch at every strange movement, taking careful note of the bends in his robes.

..Perhaps I was onto something there.

He opened the fridge, pulled out a few eggs, cracked them in a pan and set up the stove before turning back to us, and the basket of veggies, and picking out an unknown vegetable and putting it on a cutting board. He crouched down, and came back up with a cutting knife.

  


He started making even slices, humming to himself. He was in his own world, thinking about who knows what.

Half way through, he glanced up, and cocked his head.

“Tick. Focus on something..other than Shepherd.” 

Tick flinched, almost standing up in their seat as they stuttered, “I’m...”

“Yes?”

Tick shook their head. “Sorry. I’m used to having to watch over you when you do this-“

Shepherd sighed, glancing over and lightly petting the familiar pink slime, which was noticeably poking out of the vegetables, as he spoke. 

“Tick should rest after breakfast. You’re tired.”

Tick’s head dipped slightly, as if they expected it, before they began to explain themselves, “I can’t do that, I-“

“Not….for few hours?”

Tick shook their head. “But it’s okay. I’ll be fine. Can’t be helped.”

Shepherd grumbled before getting back to cutting the vegetables- dumping the contents in another pan and mixed them with some oil and spices. He stirred, flipped the eggs, then looked at his creation with satisfaction before grabbing some bowls.

Shepherd suddenly appeared in front of us, with said two bowls, and set them in front of us before taking his own seat.

“Eat. You both need energy.” 

He attempted to say it sternly, but faltered and failed almost instantly, but neither of us needed convincing. We both nodded our thanks and began eating in a way that wasn’t particularly polite-especially Tick, who had a mild struggle with keeping their helmet just above their mouth- but Shepherd didn’t seem to mind.

“Told so.” He hummed to himself, proudly sitting himself in one of the spare chairs and reveling in his culinary victory.

The food somehow tasted like the comfort of a fireplace in a warm room with the egg, yet the punch required for a good breakfast with the herbs and vegetables, which had a tender tartness to them. I could see Shepherd’s gaze fixated on me as I ate, but for once, the idea of eyes on me wasn’t a problem. All that mattered was the food.

Shepherd waited patiently until we both finished eating, then gladly swooped up the plates like he’d done this many times. Tick quickly wiped their mouth with a napkin, a small yet prominent mole glowing from their pale skin just above their lip, before pulling it back with a smooth and elegant tug.

There was silence for a while, and I didn’t mind. I used that silence to ponder about how good that meal was, and I feel like Tick was doing the same, before they perked up about something new.

“Hey, Shepherd, want to show Isabella the forest while I wait for her guide to wake up?”

Shepherd glanced over at us. “Can do. But….”

He looked over at me, then my sword at the wall.

“..What if…”

“Then come back to the house. Protect her-“ Tick pointed at me, “And yourself.”

They said this with overwhelming confidence, said tone knocking the fear out of Shepherd, for only a second. He nodded, and looked at me.

“Are you interested, Isabella?” He picked up the pink slime, Ink, and plopped them on the rim of his hat.

I nodded slowly, not really knowing if declining was possible. 

Shepherd clapped his hands, “Great! Let us go.”

I stood up on command, stretching the cricks out of my body as Shepherd walked into the main room. I looked at Tick, and they nodded, “Go ahead and take it. It’s yours, anyways.”

I nodded a thank you, grabbed the sword, and followed the sounds of windchimes, surveying the room once more before focusing on the wings again. They were still sitting there, perfect as ever.

Shepherd looked at them as well. “Those Tick’s” He said simply, before grabbing his crook and walking out. He gestured for me to come, holding the door open.

“Thanks” I muttered, shielding my eyes as the sunlight attempted to penetrate them.

“No worries!” Shepherd proceeded to slam the door shut with incredible force, causing us, and the forest itself, to jump.

Shepherd dipped his head, scolding himself it seemed, before he began walking.

I turned around, admiring the giant tree that was Shepherd’s house, before catching up with him. 

“You’ll.. see slimes. Many. Don’t worry.”

“Why is that?”

For a second I regretted such an upfront question, realizing this wasn’t John, but he only chuckled.

“This is home. They worry about new people....But Isa..Isabella is okay.”

Ink hopped up and down on Shepherd’s hat, causing him to have to reach up and steady it.

“See? Ink told. Friend is fine.”

His veiled mask made some sort of positive emote that I could barely see under the veil before he turned away from me.

“Now. I’ll show you around.”

As we walked through the forest, it became apparent that there was..many paths, not just the one me and John took. At first I tried to remember them, but it became very clear that this place was intentionally some sort of labyrinth that a passive focus on would not reveal it’s secrets. 

Shepherd, however…knew these paths like the back of his hand. 

He seemed entirely absorbed in what he was doing, as if he was mentally marking every tree, every bush, and every pocket of sunlight that shot through the trees. 

Until he wasn’t.

“Speaking of that.. Are you friend, Isabella?”

I looked at him, and..he had changed. He seemed more..sad? Anxious? I couldn’t quite tell, but the way he faced away from me as his walking slowed made his negative emotions as readable as a book.

I gave him a small smile. “How could I not be friends, or, at least, acquaintances? You’re a nice person, and so is Tick..you saved us last night.”

Shepherd hugged his crook, as if he was hoping it’s give him some sort of reassurance.

“Yes.. I thought so. I..”

“Hm?”

“I..need help.”

I blinked, my eyes looking all over him for some sort of a reaction to my own like John had so meticulously done just a day before.

Shepherd, however, didn’t even look for my input as he continued, instead taking my silence as a reason to go on with his thoughts.

“Ticks.. not doing well.... In the mind, I guess?” 

He was distant and quiet now, shaking his head as he spoke quickly. “They don’t listen when I try help. They need friends. Not like. Shepherd friend. Like..you friend. Other Terrarian,” they glanced at me, “If thats sense?” 

I opened my mouth to possibly offer condolences, or perhaps ask why he was telling me of all people, but..it would be better to get more information before I passed judgement.

“Are…. you the only one they’re friends with?”

Shepherd perked up at this like he had when Tick had praised him at breakfast today, and suddenly his tempo quickened even more as he realized he could speak.

“Tick..she is distant by order. Breaking order just..just by seeing me-“ he stuttered, “it hurts them.” He added quickly.

I let the use of gendered pronouns fly over my head, regardless of how out of place they were. That wasn’t the focus.

“Do you know what this order is?”

“N..no. I try to find out. They shut me down..”

He dipped their head, the slime on his hat zipping to the other side to prevent falling off.

This..this was interesting. To say yes to this, would be anchoring myself with these individuals with not much of an escape. But at the same time...it was such an intriguing idea. This was clearly far beyond what John was taught to teach me, and it would be an adventure to him as well.

“I’ll try my best to help.”

He jumped up, scaring the little slime to death, as if this was the best thing to happen to him in awhile.

“Yes..yes.”

I couldn’t see it under his robes, but I knew he was smiling. “It good to know that..Shepherd isn’t alone. Thank you, Isabell-“

Before he could finish his sentence, a harsh WOOSH of energy wizzed past us and hit a nearby tree with a harsh thud. We both turned to see an arrow wedged firmly into the bark like a knife to flesh, faint sparkles dripping off of it.

At first, neither of us moved. It was as if the air moving in such a way alone paralyzed us. I took a shaky breath, feeling the adrenaline creep up my spine and through my veins as I glanced at Shepherd. 

Shepherd shuffled over, touched his finger to the arrow hesitantly, before turning to me.

“You know.... how there're others like you? Terrarians?”

Terrarians. The word flickered again in the back of my mind, as if I had been subconsciously noting it in the few past times it had been used.

“Y-yes...?”

“....Some are here.”


	3. Chapter 3

Here? Right here? Right now?

That’s what I wanted to blurt out in the moment. I sucked in air between my teeth, allowing my racing heart to slow.

”....What are we going to do, then?”

Shepherd stopped entirely, as if he was thinking himself, before he grabbed the arrow with an intense yank. He held it, brushing off the shreds of bark from its tip before closing his fist around it’s sturdy frame.

”Idea.”

As he said that, he gripped the large crook and lifted it, allowing the little leaves on it to twirl in the breeze and almost seem to make the flakes of slime glow. As if it was called from nothing, an orb formed within the curve of it, brimming with light and power.

”Don’t run. Speed walk.”  


The staff pulsated, the sheer force of it causing Shepherd himself to shudder a little bit. It was mesmerizing, as if it was being created to draw the forest itself’s attention. 

I should be running away.

And yet.. I wasn’t. I was locked, staring at the light as it flickered to different colors. Green, blue, purple, and then a pink, mixing and swirling together in a circular mass of magic. It seemed to shudder, like a bomb ready to pop at any second, and yet Shepherd regarded it with an immensely calm attitude. 

“Go. Shepherd will explain pretty light later.”

With that, he slammed it on the ground, the orb exploding into rings that dispersed with a bang. He did a little hop, dodging one of the final rings of light before grabbing my hand, pulling me away from the spell.

It took me a second to get in rhythm with his walking speed, but eventually my feet matched perfectly with his in an organized march of fear. I couldn’t help but look at him and his veiled face, who seemed to be staring more at the ground intensely.

”Why are you.. staring at the ground?”

I couldn’t hold back the whisper of a question despite my second thoughts after I started speaking. 

“Tick said...” he shot a glance up at the path ahead as we veered along it’s turns, “that Shepherd should focus posture thing while run away. Can’t trip then.” 

I blinked, slightly impressed by how fast he got that sentence out, before responding,

“Well, I’ll watch the path ahead.”

”Thank you!” He said, desperately trying to express his gratitude without being too loud, “It help.”

I gave his hand a little squeeze before looking up, spying a hint of the big tree he called home amongst the lush greens. 

”Almost there, it should be a straight line from here-“

“Yes. Please be guarded.”

I glanced at him, and his mask looked right back at me from under the teal guise. I opened my mouth to respond, my mind swarming with anxious amounts of possibilities- but before I could get a word out, He broke our gaze by glancing up, staring at the distant sky before suddenly gripping my hand.

”Duck, please!”

All I could hear was my hindered breathing at first as my body folded over on command, then the faint *whoosh* of something slicing through the air cut through whatever feeling of security I had left. Shepherd looked up, holding his gaze straight forward for a while before holding up his hand that was tightly clenching the arrow.

”Thank you. Straight now.”

I shot up just in time for him to yank me behind a tree, his body taking a slightly defensive position before nervously peering back.

”Terrarians. like you,” He whispered, his voice barely rendering louder then my own heartbeat.

”Like..me-?”

”Yes. Adventure-ness. they not know boundaries.”

I scanned his face, once again foolishing expecting him to be as open as John, and his cold eye only stared back. I hated not having any hints to his emotions in his face, the mask and veil were doing well with trapping them within. Just staring at him stirred the cauldron of questions I had, so much so that the fear of these “Terrarians’” presence subdued exponentially.

“...Are.. are you two alright? Did something happen?”

I flinched, the nerves spiking right back up again like a hornet’s stinger, before I began to stutter, “Oh, Hel-“

Shepherd didn’t look back, only whispering “Terrarians.” Before lifting one of his fingers up towards the cloaking trees.

”Oooh. Okay. I’m glad. Can I see that arrow in your hand?”

Shepherd held his hand backwards without question, and tick plucked the arrow from them in a few quick seconds.

“Thank you. I’ll go confront them.”

”Okay. Careful.”

”You know I always am.”

Tick’s head cocked to the side, as if they were throwing a smile at me, before they stepped directly onto the path.

They waved the arrow in the air, it’s tip shining like a beacon of guilt, before pulling out their spellbook from a loop in their belt.

”Hello? Can you please halt your advance?”

Their voice rang out like a song, loud and confident. It was as if the whole forest had stopped breathing to listen.

My eyes darted towards the bushes that lined the path, which slowly began to rustle with movement. Little eyes began to peak out between the blankets of leaves, the mystery creatures cloaked within nature’s shadows beginning to stir. Rabbits, squirrels, and birds began to reveal their warm colors, before settling patiently to observe. Shepherd turned his head towards me slightly, and followed my gaze slowly and carefully. His head dipped slightly, staring at the pointed tall grass that rooted from the earth like it could give him advice, before finally speaking.

“The creatures move as one here.”

It was the most pronounced sentence he had ever said, the words alone filled to the brim with untold memories and admiration. He seemed to be admiring the phrase himself, hugging his cane to himself as he mused in a solemn silence.

“...that’s what Tick said.”

He muttered it in a quiet, lovely whisper, his words being swept up by the wind and carried into the sky.

As if his relief struck a chord with the leaves, they only seemed to shuffle more intensely as more creatures arose.

My eyes widened as the glossy greens and blues began to emerge, shining like jewels in the sunlight. It was enchanting watching them slink over to the edges of the path as well, joining the more peaceful creatures as they stared at the forest’s guardian. 

I couldn’t see Shepherd’s face, but something told me he was smiling the biggest grin he could. Just seeing him be in such a state of peace soothed my own soul, the wind’s melody luring our minds to rest. 

It took me a second to realize that there was still conflict amongst us.

”Magnificent. Thank you, kind Terrarians.”

All the creatures seemed to jump, including us and the intruders, at the sound of Tick’s voice. They remained calm and unphased, thumbing around their spellbook slowly, allowing their eyes to graze each page before flipping to the next. Eventually they stopped, and I took the time to try and read the pages..

...but as soon as I attempted to read it, suddenly, there were no words.

”Hmmm....”

Tick hummed, stole a glance at me as soon as my eyes began to defocus, and for a second, I could’ve believed that they knew I was attempting to read the pages. They didn't mention this at all, however, but instead put the arrow in the book like a bookmark before glancing up.

“Would you like to say hello? Any of you? The sunlight welcomes you.”

The breath caught in my throat, my previous thought discarded as I sunk down. Not even The Guardian Of The Forest could quell my anxieties.

”Okay. Give me a second.”

A new voice rang out from the underbrush. Tick quickly replied.

”Take as much time as you would like.”

It was silent for a second, before a figure emerged from the bush. Me and Shepherd instinctively shot down and out of view at the sight of him, just barely peeking over just enough to still see the conversation. 

His features were frozen in an expression of fear, with his fluffy brown hair sticking to his face in the heat. He wore armor that gleamed like the sickly night, and held a bow that looked to be made of the same substance. There was a single jar tied to his hip, something swirling within it in a desperate attempt to free itself. Everything about him screamed fear, it was almost blinding to look at.

At first, he only stared at Tick, then he glanced at the copious amount of creatures around us, then Tick again.

“I...Honestly didn’t believe you existed.”

He seemed..distant now. Was it from fear, or awe? There was no way to know.

I could hear Tick’s chuckle echo through the helmet, “I get that a lot.” 

He stared at the ground, almost as if he was fishing for something to say, before his eyes quickly glanced over to the rustling bush he emerged from.

”Oh! Yeah,” He whispered intensely in their direction before facing the guardian again, “So.. what are you doing here..Specifically?”

”To protect my friend’s home, of course.”

“I-“

He stopped, his eyes seeming to drift into a void of thought before he snapped back in an instant.

“Are- are we intruding???”

Tick only nodded briskly, before placing a hand on their hip, “It’s not your fault though, I’ve yet to figure out how to establish an obvious boundary....” They looked up at the sky as they said this, as if the lazy clouds could provide a solution.

“Can I-“

Tick glanced back at him, their own mental bubble popping in a second. It was this glance that caused him to stutter, his whole body shaking like shudders in a storm. 

“T-talk to-“ He managed to get out before pointing at the bushes he emerged from.

“Your friends? Of course.”

”Th-thank you!” He said quickly before practically throwing himself into the leaves, two pairs of hands pulling him in as if on cue.

Tick stared at the bush as their book snapped shut, arrow as a bookmark, before glancing at us.

“How..how are they all hiding in that thing, you think?” They pointed at the bush before shaking their head in disbelief, “I’m frankly rather impressed.”

Shepherd shrugged, “It easy. They average height. You just tall.”

Tick trotted over, looking at us both.

”Hey, Isabella, could you stand up over here please?”

I gave them a blank stare, barely even registering the question as my nerves spiked ever so slightly with dread.

”Are..are we really doing this right now?”

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. I glanced over, my body feeling numb as I made contact with Tick’s gaze.

”I’m..I’m sor-“

“Don’t apologize- in actuality, it should be me who’s apologizing. You’re not comfortable with the situation yet like I am, so that was a suitable reaction. It was me who acted out of line. So,” They placed a hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze, “I’ll summarize my reasoning briefly to explain myself.”

They paused, glancing at the bush again, before continuing.

“Well, there’s no reason they’d attack us- because, based on their reactions just a few minutes ago and as we speak, they’re aware of me.”

I waited for them to continue, but they only stayed silent as they looked at me, waiting for me to respond.

”...So??” I paused, only for a second, but Tick gestured to me to go on, “..That’s an assumption on your part. What if they attack us anyways?”

“...Good response, but even then- I know more than you do, and I can safely say- There’s a spell for everything, Isabella.”

They held out their hand to me.

“Trust me. I promise I know what I’m doing, and only ‘do’ with the best intentions.”

Their posture was as opaque as their mask, with the only true emotion expressed being kindness. Any other thoughts, feelings- anything that could possibly give any hints to their authenticity- were impossible to discern.

“...Okay.”

Tick hoisted me up and put a hand on my shoulder with a squeeze, but before they could respond, Shepherd had butted into the conversation, standing beside us on the tips of his toes. 

“See??? Tick tall.”

Tick flinched before looking over, “I am not that-“

They looked back at me.

“...Oh. perhaps I am, just a little bit.”

I smiled politely, setting my sword down at my feet before folding my arms, hopefully sending a message of a truce towards Tick indirectly. I noticed their visor tilt toward my sword before anything else.

“Yeah.. I’m about at your chest. And I’m average.”

“See! Tall.”

The mysterious veil Tick seemed to possess seemed to falter, if only for a minute, at the sound of their laugh. 

“I could say otherwise.”

“Well, Tick wrong then!”

The two giggled as if they were children without a care in the world...and I couldn’t help but smile alongside them, even though that smile was only a percent of the positive energies that radiated between the two. If nothing else, I hoped that their comfort around me was a sign of good feelings.

As they continued to chat quietly, I glanced off into the distance at the moving sun. It was drifting into the late afternoon, drifting amongst the clouds in a choreographed dance of time. 

What was John doing right now? Was he okay? What would he think of this situation? The questions bounced in my head aimlessly, with no answers to satisfy them at my reach without help. Tick was supposed to be waiting for him..

Just when I was about to ask Tick, they began to speak aloud as their book once again opened. 

”Welcome back. What is it you wish to discuss?”

From the bushes emerged 3 individuals, each slinking forward as if they had committed a great crime. The one from before began to speak, hushed and anxious.

”Hi. I’m.. I’m Sparrow. This is Anna,” He gestured to the left, where a shy looking red head stood, “And Lukas,” A more rough, beaten up boy stood to the right.

“We’re..we’re really sorry about coming here. We thought this was a boss location.” Anna said quietly, picking at her nails as she spoke. 

“Yes. It wasn’t on the map, so we assumed we were...pioneers, you could call it.”

Sparrow looked at Lukas with eyes filled to the brim with fear, as if he was silently criticizing his word choice. Before Lukas could give any sort of signal back, Tick was already responding.

”Thank you for the apology.”

”Yes….Thank you!”

Shepherd piped up, waving at the three from the sidelines that we had slunk back into. They all flinched, their expressions showing confusion more then anything.

Tick followed their gaze, and laughed.

“The one with the hat- This is my friend. He owns the land here.”

They all nodded slowly, still looking bewildered.

“And.. if you don’t mind me asking...what map do you speak of?”

Sparrow didn’t hesitate to explain, his expression lighting up slightly at the very opportunity.

”Oh! That’s something at the front of our town. Lets everyone know where they shouldn’t go..owned land is part of that..You could probably sign up to have yours put on restriction.”

Tick seemed a little taken aback by their sudden ramble, but recovered like a cat landing on their feet.

“Oh? You must be from Apex, then. Could I go there this evening?”

“Y—yeah, and probably. You’d need the owner to sign, though..”

Tick turned their head ever so slightly towards Shepherd, gripping their spellbook with a tight fist. Their face was obscure, but it felt like their mind was muggy with thoughts.

“....If that’s the case.. going right now would be good, wouldn’t it?”

Shepherd nodded eagerly, “Fun! Friends coming too?”

“...Yes. But we’d have to retrieve John..” Their eyes fell onto me.

“Isabella. Can you go get him while we wait at the edge of the forest? We won’t leave without you two.”

Tick looked up at the three Terrarians, “You’re okay with us traveling with you, right?”

They all nodded, not even bothering to talk amongst themselves to assure they had the same idea in mind.

“Marvelous... now..” They opened their spellbook, “Allow me to help you all.”

They pressed their finger on the book, their finger tracing over the letters, before muttering a sentence with pristine articulation..

“Let the lion eat the sun, carrying it in it’s maw to our goal.” 

The forest began to creak as the book trembled, Tick tapping their foot to some unknown beat.

I looked up widely, surveying the scenery in a slight panic. From the noises of shock from everyone else, I knew I wasn’t the only one.

”What’s moving!?” Sparrow let out a small squeak, the three of them facing each other back to back and pulling out their weapons.

“They are preparing!” Tick called, as if addressing a crowd, “Give them a second!”

Tick held the arrow up, twirling it in the air in beat with their foot.

“And...now.”

They snapped.

The sound of branches snapping rang through the air around us, the sound emerging from every tree in the forest like a mighty stampede. I crouched dow, covering my head on instinct as I shut my eyes in the chaos. I couldn’t even hear myself think-

Then, in another instant, it was silent.

“...Follow the path of light, alright? It will get you through this overgrowth.”

Tick’s voice was like a drop of water in the silence- the silent breath of it snapping us all out of our exhilarated states.

I opened my eyes, slowly standing up with my sword in hand.

“By..by the eye...” Lukas muttered, glancing around in a panic, “How the hell..”

”To prevent you from getting lost, the trees have woven together to block out all light..except from a few significant paths,” Tick nodded at Shepherd as he slinked out from behind the tree to be closer to the guardian, “I’ve always wanted to use this spell…..again..personally. It really is something unique.”

I blinked. 

It.. it was dark.

The tree’s branches had reached out for one another, twisting and turning like threads to form the perfect quilt of blackness. Everyone seemed awestruck at the phenomenon, even Tick, who was lifting their hand up as if they wanted to grab the bundle.

There were only two sources of light..The green visor of Tick’s helmet and a tear in the leaves right above the path we were standing on. It resembled a stream, twisting and turning along the path as it traversed. I couldn’t help but bend down and touch the sliver, letting my hand remain in the warmth for only a second. 

“Isabella.” Tick said, “Your path is that way, it should lead you to the house. And you all...walk with me. We will wait at the edge of the trees.”

I nodded slowly before standing up, turning on my heel and starting the truck to the familiar home.

“...Shepherd?”

The little veiled mage seemed especially small in the dark, barely visible with the limited glow of the sun. He seemed..scared.

Tick faced them, before slipping their hand under their veil and cupping his chin, allowing him to look up as they cradled him.

”Wherever you want.”

Shepherd stayed silent, using his free hand to grab Tick’s arm. They responded with a whisper just barely heard by me.

“I know what you’re thinking, I know. It’s okay. Don’t worry about me, Shepherd. Go talk to Isabella.”

My eyes flicked around as I heard my name amongst the darkness, and I instinctively gave him a little nod.

“See? Go on.”

Shepherd let go of Tick’s arm before stepping back, as if he was worried Tick would have an actual order for him. However Tick only waved at me before whirling around, starting a conversation with the new Terrarians immediately. 

At first, Shepherd could only watch as the four traversed on the path, getting farther away every second…

...then a little pink slime came out into the light.

It first halted in the darkness, but their patience wore thin in and instant, causing it to shove itself into the suspicious snake of light. 

Shepherd let out a gasp.

“Ink!”

He bent down, cupping the slime in his hands and holding it close to his face.

“You..do you worry? About things? Like Shepherd?”

He sounded so defeated in his soft speech, like a massive wave swiping you up into the sea. I opened my mouth to respond, but he had already started to talk again.

“Yeah. Worried.” 

He let the air be still, as if the clock of the world had stopped entirely, before slipping the slime onto his hat and turning to me.

“Let’s get guide.”

He walked over and grabbed my free hand, allowing it to hang in the air in case I wanted to let go, before softly locking on.

I smiled, and squeezed his hand reassuringly.

His hand.

It didn’t feel like Tick’s at all. It felt.. more pliable.

Too pliable. As if it would fall apart in a moment.

I focused on the rest of Shepherd, and suddenly became aware that we were walking.

”Isaball- Isabella? You okay?”

I focused on his statement, trying to put aside the gross mental image I had formed in my brain so I could talk to him.

”Y-yeah. I’m sorry.”

”Don’t be.”

He focused on the trail of light, letting it guide his every step as he stepped around it.

”Isabella. Shepherd wants to talk right now. About what was mentioned befo-“

“ISABELLA!”

It was a shout of exhilarating exhaustion, and one that snapped both of us out of our dreamy trance. I didn’t have any time to react before I felt someone charge into me, arms wrapping over my shoulders in a hug.

“You’re safe! I’m so glad.”

At first I assumed he was going to pull away as soon as he finished speaking, but he only held on. I let him, dropping my head on his shoulder and listening intently as his hasty breathing slowed.

Shepherd jumped back as soon as he registered what was going on, the crook raising off the ground once more on instinct.

“...We were just coming to get you. We’re going to.. a place called Apex with them.”

I said this quietly, loosening the arms I had wrapped around him.

John froze a little bit before pulling himself away, “..We’re traveling with..them?”

“Apparently.”

I looked over at Shepherd, who was slowly lowering the crook as his nerves settled. I quickly thought of a conversation they could both talk about and rolled with it.

“So.. since it’ll be a bit of a walk, i'd like to prompt a question..”

I gestured to Shepherd.

“What’s that staff do?”

John looked over and raised his eyebrows, clearly not expecting such a random question.

Shepherd shoved it to the ground with a soft slam, wrapping his arms around it in protection, “W-well!”

He seemed nervous, veering away from us as he stared at the guiding light, which waited patiently.

It was so quiet, almost unnervingly so. It was as if the creatures stopped moving whenever Shepherd showed the slightest bit of anxiety.

It felt like years before he finally spoke.

“It...it summons.”

“You’re a..summoner? That’s really intriguing...” John piped up, his face having that familiar guide smile painted across it, “What do you summon?”

”Uh...”

He gestured around the forest.

“Them.”

Ink did a little hop, causing his hat to tip slightly. It was as if the slime was agreeing with him.

I looked over at John, who had a flame of worry sparking up in his eyes.

“Well...okay...” He said slowly, “Can you explain that to me more in depth as we walk?”

”Shepherd try.”

With that simple statement, Shepherd turned around and began to go the way he came- clearly not wanting to explain anything. I glanced at John, but all he could give me was the smiling mask he had already given to me once before.

Shepherd seemed to be able to lock people out easily, even if his speech wasn’t the best. And if that’s the case.. what secrets were under that veil, and would he ever divulge them to us?

I exhaled, allowing my hand to feel comfort with the sword in its grips, before speaking up.

”Let’s follow him.”


End file.
